WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 384, 22 August 1874, Page 3

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held yesterday. Present : Messrs J. T. Thomson (Chief Commissioner), Butterworth, Bastings, and Strode. Mr. Rossbotham's appeal against the decision of the Chief Commissioner refusing to declare him the purchaser of sections 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 36, 19. 20, 21, 22, block 1., Beaumont, was adjourned for a week. RE-CONSIDERATION. Mr. Duncan M'Rae's application to purchase section 10, block V., Tuapeka East, was again brought under consideration. The Warden reported that it was land for railway purposes, but no further objection existed. Mr. Bastings : The railway does not go along the section. The Government have claimed half the land up there for railways. The application was granted. APPLICATION TO PURCHASE. The following applications to purchase lands held under agricultural leases were approved : — J. D. M' Alpine, section 98, block 11., Tuapeka East ; John Bafcement, section 2. Earnslaw ; W. S. Trotter, section 4, Kingston district. TMrmTA'Nraß. The following application to exchange lease, under clause fi2, was approved :—: — J. Ryan, section 8, block V., Waitahuna East. VOLUNTARY REPORT. Mr. John Gamble's letter relative to the application to purchase sections 20, 25, 3, 27, and 12, block 1., Cmolcston, and Mr. Lancaster's application for the bush at M. Cann's beach, were read. "VALUATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS. , Mr. H. M. Henderson's request that two back sections adjoining those he had purchased in Dunkeld should be put up for sale, with valuation for improvements made by him, was not favourably received. DKCLARATION OP HUNDRED. A memo, was received from the Government, intimating that the Tnapeka Hundred would be declared on the 2nd September, and arrangements made for opening it for sale as soon thereafter as possible. ANOTHER SOLICITOR REQUIRED. The District Land Officer was transmitted several questions by Mr. 11. L. Squires as to the power of the holder of exchange leases to assign them. Mr. Bastings : The Provincial Solicitor would be inundated with questions of this kind if they were recognized by the Board. It was decided to refer the applicant to his own solicitor. TUAPEKA BAST. Mr. Mouat, for T. E. Pope, applied to purchase section 45, block XIX., Tuapeka East. The Warden reported that the laud was not being worked at present, but he would not take the responsibility of saying that all the gold was worked out. The section comprised about 10 1 acres. (Several respectable miners at the Bl*ue Spur believed the land was not auriferous. The Commissioner : I do not .think it would be safe to grant the application. Mr. Robertson : If you would allow me to express an opinion as a practical miner, there 'is no alluvial deposit' in the section. The ' Commissioner : The Warden will not incur the responsibility, and 1 don't see why I should. The Warden must alter his opinion first. Mr. Butterworth . He cannot blow hot and cold. •It would be useless to refer the matter to him. The application was refused. LAND ON THE GOLDFIELDS. The following applications to purchase land on the goldfields were approved :— Geo. Matheson, section 39, block XVlll., Tuapeka East; T. M. Darton, section 102, block 1., do ; H. Galbraith, section 13, block IV., do. AGRICULTURAL LEASES. The following applications to purchase land held under agricultural leases were granted:— J. Bryant, section 1, block lX., and 10, block X., Tuapeka East ; J. Paskel, section 2, block XLVL, Tokotnairiro. APPLICATIONS TO EXCHANGE LEASES. The following applications to exchange leases were approved ;— J. BoS'istow, sections 30 and 34, block X., Waitahnna East ; N. Bruce, sections 38 and 39, block V., do ; T. Duffy, section 69, bock VI., Tuapeka East ; M. Ryan, section 4, block V., Waitahuna East. " . COAL MINING. A petition in favour of new coal leases being granted at Clyde was read. The petitions stated several reasons, amongst which was high rate at present charged for coal.

Mr. Gillies, for Mr. Marie, opposed' the application. He asked that the case be adjourned until lie heard from hia client in reply. Mr. Strode : After considering the question generally, the Board came to the conclusion that the requisition for further coal accomodation should come from the Town Council of Clyde. Tf it came from them it would receive recognition. Mr. Gillies . The Town Council of Clyde had sent in a petition to the Board, which was granted. The present is an application for that which the Board had never refused. The Commissioner : It is open for those who have coalpits to compete against Mr. Marie, TABLE HILL DISTRICT. Mr. Harris wished to enquire whether any further applications had been made for land in Table IJiil district. He understood that blocks IV. and XIV. had been applied for. Mr. Strode : Block IV. is a Government reserve. The Commissioner advised Mr. Harris to ascertain if there was a block XIV. in in the Table Hill district, and upon enquiry he discovered that there was no block of that number in that locality. ANOTHER YOtTffG FARMER. Mr. Connell, for W. Miller, jun., applied to purchase sections 23, 21, and 37, block IV., Table Hill. He said this was an application from Mr. Walter Miller, jun., son of Mr. Walter Miller, sen, The Warden reported that the application should bo amended. Mr. Connell said that the Board had already held that these applications could be received from the sons of applicants and minors. This was another son. Mr. Strode : What ! another son. I wonder how many more he has got. Mr. Connell : This is a hona fide application. Mr. Miller, I believe, has about eleven and a half sons.—(Laughter.) This is his last son, and I believe he will make a good settler. Mr. Bastings The last was 14 years old. Perhaps, this one will be about 6. Mr. Harris, as a large shareholder representing the Havelah Hill Water Race Coinpan)', opposed this application. The company had been to the expense of about £300, and the race was about 11 miles long. Mi*. Conuell : The race does not approach these sections. It has a different water-ahed, Waitahuna East. Mr. Harris : After mistakes are made, whereby people are misled, it is but right that they should know how far the mistakes extend. The Commissioner . I thing the matter should be referred to the Warden to report. If the application were granted. i t ...tgtio iij.ociicitrjvrtu m uuug operations. . Mr. Strode : It should be amended, and the Warden asked for a full report. Mr. Bastings : Can minors occupy sections then ? The Commissioner replied in the affirmative. Mr. Bastings . You say a child can buy land like lollies and cakes. The Commissioner : If a child brings the money, I cannot help it. Mr. Bastings : I s the Board is to entertain applications of this kind' I don't know how you are going to carry out the deferred; payment system. If the Board lay down the rule that each applicant is to rooeive no more than 409 acres, and a man has a dozen children, for whom he makes application, it would be impossible to carry out the spirit of the principle. I think the Board should lay down a system, and abide by it. The Commissioner : The Board raust do the best it can. Mr. Bastings : It is a perfect farce to adopt the principle and not carry it out. Mr. Connell : The Board has no power to refuse the application. Mr. Bastings , My own opinion is at all events different. The agents in town are a v >out the only persons who are aware that the sj^stem of only allowing 400 acres to each applicant is extended to their children. lam only looking at the future. If the Board winks at these things, it will be the same under the deferred payment system when it comes before the Board. Mr. Gillies : The Board has not the power to refuse these applications, Mr. Connell : It would be a fraud upon thfi Government for those under 18 years of a£e to obtain laud from the Board. The land is vested in their guardians till they become 21 years of age. The Commissioner : The boys will understand that, and I trust they will make as good settlers as their father (Mr. Miller). Mr. Strode : We should see that these applications are bonafide. Mr. Connell : The Board know that they are Mr Miller's sons. The Commissioner : The question is, is this a dummy application ? Mr. Connell : The sun is not a dummy, Mr. Gillies : The Board could not expect each applicant to be present when their cases aro heard. Mr. Strode : If the applicants were present we could ask questions and give a fair decision, Mr. Bastings : I shall oppose «i«y ap plication which does not come under the principle laid down. Mr. Butterworth (and others): So shall Mr. Connell : . This decision of the Board is against*' the law. The Board has 'exceeded its' powers in laying down the rule. T think the opinion of the Solicitor-General should be taken upon the subject. I should like to know whether I am to come here and only apply for 400 acres or not ? j The Commissioner : Let us get •to business, now, Mr. Connell. We'll consider that subject bye-and-bye. The Board decided that the application should be returned to be made properly , the Warden to report if it would interfere with any mining interests or water races. THE GOLDFIELDS. The following applications for land on the Goldfields were granted ; — G. Kerr, section 10, block VI., Wait-ihuna Kast, T. Grundy, section 17, block Vr., Waitahuna West ; J. Docherty, sections 12 and 21, block VI., Tuapeka Fast; P. M'lntyre, sections 16 and. 17, block VT ., Waitahnna East. Mr. William Smith's application for sections 5, 6, and 7, block V., Tuapeka East, and W. Oaborne's for section 1, block V., Tnapeka West, were ordered to Vie dealt with the same as Osborue and Hayes'. The following applications for sections in Waitahuna liast, Table Hill, Tuapeka West, and Crookston, were refused :— W. Hayes, F. Nicol, Rose Gunn, D. M'lntosh, H. M'Kinlay, T. Hopwood, W. D. Morrison, John Edie, John Norman, D. Ro3s, J. Dewes, T. Scott, T. Murray, W. H. Miller, R. Craig, and G. Milne. The Board then adjourned.